Real Irish Wedding – Jennie Lee and Neil Allen
Real Irish Weddings
A laid-back festival-themed wedding held in a brewery
26th May 2016. Ceremony and reception at The Tap Room at Hilden Brewery, Lisburn
A laid-back festival-themed wedding held in a brewery
Photography by Soul and Rise
The couple
“We first met through a mutual friend who took me to a gig that Neil was playing at in town,” Jennie begins, “I didn’t actually get to see him play however because it was a school night!”
The proposal
“It was Valentine’s Day but as Neil isn’t usually the romantic type I was very surprised to come home to our flat and find it filled with candles and a lovely bath waiting for me,” Jennie recalls. “After a tasty dinner and bottle of red, he popped the question!”
Venue
“We’d looked at a few venues before picking Hilden but it really stuck out for us as the one with the most character,” Jennie says. “We also really wanted a BBQ for our meal and loved the fact that our whole day would be in one place. Also, we loved the tipis and beer selection.”
Theme
The couple opted for a loose festival/travel theme as they wanted a relaxed, fun feel to the day. “Our ceremony, dinner and dancing were held in tipis in the Brewery’s gardens and we had a BBQ for our meal, with the brewery’s beer on tap for our guests,” Jennie says. “I made little hot air balloons for our guests place names and each table was named after a different country, with a large multicoloured map for our table plan which Neil painted.”
Wedding planner
“We planned a lot of the wedding ourselves but had a lot of help from family and friends in making our day the way we wanted,” Jennie says. “A special mention has to be made to Gill, our florist, who worked so hard to capture the style and theme we wanted. Our families also helped loads with decorating the day before and both of our Mum’s made some brilliant decorations. Frances Scullion who works at Hilden also helped make the day run smoothly and nothing was too much trouble for her in making our day what we wanted.”
Wedding dress
The bride looked stunning in a Lusan Mandongus wedding dress from Paradise Collections, Armagh. “After trying on a few at Paradise Collections, the owner got a feel for my style and said she had one that had just came in that she thought I’d like,” Jennie says, “you guessed it, that was the one! I loved my lace sleeves, the back detail and the fit of the dress. I have to say I felt pretty gorgeous on the day and might have to throw a dress party in a few years just to wear it again.”
Groomswear
“To say Neil is laid back would be an understatement and I think he picked his outfit about two weeks before the wedding – much to both our Mums’ panic!. The guys went for cream chinos, white shirts, green tweed ties and navy tweed blazers. They all looked great.”
The bridesmaids
“We both LOVE the colour green and I knew the emerald green colour I wanted for months but took ages to find it anywhere,” Jennie explains. “I finally found the perfect dress from Whistles at House of Fraser. The girls are all very different body types and hair colour but the dress looked absolutely gorgeous on all of them.”
Wedding flowers
The couple’s friend Gill Tate of Flowers By Mee supplied the wedding flowers. “We couldn’t have been happier,” Jennie enthuses. “Unlike some brides, I didn’t know any flower names or anything like that and all I really gave Gill to go on was, ‘bright colours, festival, wildflower style’. All of our bouquets were stunning and Gill even attached my Granny’s charm bracelet to mine. She also did a floral crown for me and hair pieces for the bridesmaids, table centre pieces, shepherd’s crooks with hanging flowers outside and a floral archway for our ceremony. Gill really made our wedding look beautiful and we couldn’t have done it without her.”
Stationery
Another friend, Ben from Angel and Anchor, designed the stationary. “Ben was really easy to work with and took our ideas – green/blue colour scheme, travel theme – and turned them into something beautiful,” Jennie says. “We had a simple ‘Adventure Awaits’ save the date and then incorporated a hot air balloon for our invites.”
Wedding cake
The mother of the bride made a three-tiered wedding cake in three different flavours.
Favourite moment
Neil: “The whole day was full of great moments, I couldn’t pick one in particular. But the music set a really good atmosphere for the day; from the Bradys & friends playing traditional Irish music to The Gents who absolutely jam-packed the dance floor from start to finish.”
Jennie: “There’s too many to choose! From walking in and seeing everyone I loved in one room, to our best man’s speech to our last dance of the night when Neil dipped me so close to the ground I thought I was a goner! The whole day was even better than I could have hoped for.”
Clare Coleman and Christopher Walker #RIW
Real Irish Weddings
This couple went for a Claddagh themed day
16th July 2016. Ceremony at St. Mary’s on the Hill, Claddagh, followed by a reception at G Hotel, Galway
This couple went for a Claddagh themed day
Photography by Acorn Images
The couple
This Antrim couple first met seven years ago when they were working for Santander Bank in Belfast.
The proposal
Christopher popped the question when the couple were on holidays in Maspalomas, in an Italian restaurant on the beach.
Venue
“The G hotel is our favourite hotel,” Clare begins, “we stayed for my birthday three years ago and loved the hotel and Galway so much we wanted to get married there. From the staff to the food, and decor of the hotel is fab. We wanted somewhere that none of our guests had been before and also a party weekend away!”
Theme
“We got married in the Claddagh, Galway, so we decided we would like to use the Claddagh symbol as our theme throughout the wedding,” Clare explains. “It represents love, loyalty and friendship. It featured on our invites, order of service, our photography, favours and my husband’s wedding ring is a celtic knot with the Claddagh in the centre.”
Photography
Acorn Images captured the wedding photos. “Acorn Images done my friend’s wedding two years ago. I was bridesmaid at it, and they were such a lovely and professional couple that I wanted them for my own wedding. We were delighted when they agreed to travel to Galway and photograph our day. They were a big help throughout. We are over the moon with our pictures!”
Wedding dress
The bride looked radiant in a LDK dress from Caris Closet Bridal, Malahide. “I loved the dress from the moment I tried it on,” Clare enthuses, “the detail was superb and the shape was exactly what I was looking for.”
Groomswear
Christopher wore navy blue suit with white tie from Collar and Tie, Lisburn.
The bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore multiway dresses from Caris Closet Bridal.
Wedding flowers
Lawless Flowers Limerick created the wedding flowers and white Akito rose bouquets.
Wedding cake
Couture Cakes Galway provided the four-tier white wedding cake.
Favourite moment
Christopher: “Finishing my speech!”
Clare: “Getting our photographs in Quay Street. The atmosphere was unbelievable.
Real Irish Wedding – Brian Hamilton and Kathryn Burns
Real Irish Weddings
Brian and Kathryn went for a rustic themed wedding day
13th May 2016. Ceremony and reception at Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, Co. Down
Brian and Kathryn went for a rustic themed wedding day
Photography by Bradley Quinn
The couple
“Brian and I met at one of our local pubs, one Friday night,” Kathryn begins, “it was strange how we are both from the same small town but had never crossed paths before. My best friend decided she was going to play matchmaker and passed my mobile number to Brian, unbeknown to me. Brian text me the next day and the rest is history.”
The proposal
“Brian suggested one Sunday afternoon that we go for a walk to Crawfordsburn Country Park,” Kathryn recalls. “We were dandering along, chatting away and after about half an hour Brian suggested that we sit down for a bit. We sat down on a seat overlooking Belfast lough; the view was amazing. The next minute Brian dropped down on one knee and popped the question… I was the happiest girl in the world!”
Venue
“Brian and I wanted a small intimate wedding and the Clandeboye Lodge Hotel had the perfect room for us,” Kathryn says, “with its large windows and arched timber beams, we knew it would create the exact atmosphere we were looking for. It was also close to Crawfordsburn and we loved the idea of going back to the spot we got engaged and getting a wedding picture taken there, which we did.”
Theme
The couple wanted a relaxed day with a simple rustic theme.
Wedding dress
The bride looked sensational in an Enchanting by Mon Cheri dress from The Wedding Box. “I had actually seen my dress on the internet when I was having a look at dresses shortly after we got engaged,” Kathryn recalls, “it really stood out for me and I absolutely loved the back of it. I couldn’t get the dress out of my head so I decided to email the designer to see where I could find this dress and was told that there was only one shop in Northern Ireland who had ordered the sample and that one shop happened to be in the town where I was living. I couldn’t believe it and knew it had to be. I tried on a few other dresses but knew this was the dress for me. It was a simple, elegant dress and perfect for me and my wedding.”
Groomswear
The guys wore blue suits designed by Herbie Frogg.
The bridesmaids
The bridesmaids looked gorgeous in pale pink Kelsey Rose dresses also from The Wedding Box.
Wedding flowers
“My florist, Hollie from The Rosehip and Berry Floral Studio, was fantastic and from our very first meeting she completely got my vision,” Kathryn enthuses. “As well as doing my beautiful flowers she also decorated my reception room which completely blew me away on the day, it was everything and more than I had hoped for. My bouquet was an arrangement of pops of deeper lilac and burgundy tones to make a statement against the pale pink bridemaids’ dresses. There was also mixed foliage to break up the pale pink and ivory roses.”
Stationery
My invitations, place settings and favours all complemented the rustic theme of the wedding.
,
Wedding cake
Cakes by Berina made the three-tier wedding cake in flavours; salted carmel, lemon, and jam and cream.
Favourite moment
Brian: “Going back to the place where I proposed to Kathryn as a newly married couple. It is such a beautiful spot and we now have some amazing pictures to go with the memories.”
Kathryn: “The ceremony was the most important part of the day for me and I wanted it to feel special and personal to us, which it did. Every part of the ceremony felt so emotional and meaningful to Brian and I and it was lovely to have our family and close friends there to share it with us. It was made extra special for me because the minister who christened me was also the minister who married us.”
Top Tip
Brian: “Don’t stress… relax and enjoy the day as it is over so quickly.”
Kathryn: “Get a videographer – the day goes by in a blur. It is fantastic to be able to watch the day back and see things you missed but also just to relive the whole day. My videographer was E&L Wedding Video, he was fantastic and so friendly and easy going on the day. I love watching my video.”
Real Irish Wedding – Amanda Slevin & Darren Keane
Real Irish Weddings
This fashion forward bride wore a chic two-piece by Turkish designer Tarik Ediz
July 15th 2016. Ceremony at St Colemans Cathedral,Cobh followed by reception at Fota Island Resort Cork
This fashion forward bride wore a chic two-piece by Turkish designer Tarik Ediz
Photos by Paper Hearts Photography
The couple
“We met about 10 years ago in a club in Cork when we were both in college,” Amanda begins, “I chased Darren around for the night until he gave in and agreed to have a drink with me! He never lets me forget that I did the chasing.”
The proposal
“We took a trip to Dubai in June 2016 to celebrate Darren’s 30th birthday. On our second night we had arranged a trip to the Burj Al Arab hotel for cocktails and views,” Amada recalls. “I was ready first, waiting on Darren and growing frustrated. I was actually giving out to him for taking so long while he was fumbling to get the ring out of his pocket and get down on one knee! Darren proposed with a fake ring so the next day we went to jewellers. I got to pick everything and the ring was totally custom-made and it was just an amazing experience.”
Venue
“The minute we drove through the gates of Fota we loved it,” Amada says. “It’s hard to beat Fota. We had looked at other venues and just continually went back to Fota. Because we met in Cork we wanted to host the wedding there. A lot of our friends and family are in Munster so it was where it.”
Photography
Photos by Paper Hearts captured the wedding photos.
Wedding dress
The bride looked radiant in a Tarik Ediz two-piece from Folkster Bridal Kilkenny. “I never wanted a standard dress and i just love the idea that the top can be worn again,” Amanda says.
Grooms wear
The groom wore a custom-made navy three-piece suit from Hacketts, Dublin. “We wanted to have the groomsmen different, so they had a contrasting grey suit with navy tie and pocket square,” Amada says, “I feel the difference makes the bride and groom more individual versus the groom and groomsmen all in the same suits.”
The bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore dusty rose dresses from Debenhams.
Wedding flowers
Flower Power, Glounthaune created the wedding flowers. The bride opted for a bouquet of cream roses and freesia, and the bridesmaids had babies breath.
Stationery
Paul Delany Art created the wedding stationery.
Wedding cake
Daisy Chain Cakes, Cork made the three-tier wedding cake in flavours chocolate biscuit, lemon sponge and lemon crème.
Favourite moment
Darren: “The bride walking down the aisle with our two children.”
Amanda: “Seeing Darren at the top of the altar waiting for me. I think I practically ran up the aisle. I was so nervous about the walk up the aisle for the months leading up to the wedding but I loved it, I was so excited and happy. I also enjoyed the morning after. Waking up as Mrs. Keane was pretty special.”
Top Tip
Paul: “The day goes really fast so try not to stress and enjoy it. It’ll be a long time before you have all of your friends and family in the same room together to celebrate so make the most of it.”
Amanda: “If someone offers to help you plan or do anything; take it. Don’t try to do it all yourself. It shouldn’t be stressful. Don’t sweat the tiny minute details.”
Real Irish Wedding – Kris Kendellen & David Darmody
Real Irish Weddings
A stylish theatre-themed day
18th March 2016. Ceremony and reception at The Set Theatre, Langtons Hotel, Kilkenny
Photography by Johnny Corcoran
A stylish theatre-themed day
The couple
Kris was in college training to be an opera singer and was performing in The Gondoliers at the National Concert Hall, and David was a dancer who was brought in by the choreographer as part of a dance group to dance in the same production. The makeup artist at the time spoke to each of the guys separately and gradually maneuvered them together over the couple of weeks of the performance.
The proposal
In the first year of our relationship David joked about how it was his dream to be proposed to on a Broadway theatre stage in New York. After being together almost eight years, they booked a trip to New York and Kris spent months beforehand liaising with the owner of a Broadway walking tour company. “The tour was coming to an end and our guide (who was aware what would be happening) told David that as a little extra treat we were getting to see the backstage of the Lyceum – Broadway’s oldest theatre,” Kris explains. “David was ecstatic and I was getting nervous! We were met by the girlfriend of the company owner at the backstage door and she took over the ‘tour’. She ad libed her way through a tour of the backstage and as soon as we got onto the stage, she left us alone and took position in the rafters to take pictures of the moment. I told David that some dreams do come true and reminded him of what he had said eight years ago. I then proposed with a Haribo jelly ring brought from Ireland and David said, ‘Yes!’”
Venue
“The set theatre is a beautiful unique venue and because we are both so involved in theatre this was perfect for us,” David says.
Theme
The couple opted for a theatre-themed wedding day. “We did not need to do much because the whole venue was the theme,” Kris says, “we added to this by making all our table names to be a different show that we were involved in over the years. Also, most of the music we used in the ceremony was from musicals.”
Groomswear
Kris wore a navy three-piece Kurt and Kross suit with a white shirt gold tie and Ted Baker brown shoes. The tie pin was a gift from David on the morning of the wedding. David wore a grey wool three-piece Ted Baker suit with brown Ted Baker Shoes.
The groomsmaids
“As David and I have one sister each we wanted them as the groomsmaids,” Kris says. “As there was no bride we decided it would be nice to have some ladies in white. So we had our groomsmaids wear a white Roackabilly style dress from Folkster in Temple Bar. As a gift to them both we got them handmade individual head pieces from Jenny Vender which sat into the side of their hair. Both of the girls have long hair so we left it down and swept over one shoulder with the head pieces flat on the other side.”
Wedding flowers
“The only wedding flowers we had were for the goomsmaids’ bouquets and the grooms’ button holes,” Kris says, “we wanted to keep it simple simple simple, so we simply used babies breath (Gypsophila) bouquets tied with teal ribbon for one and blue ribbon for the other. We got these from a Tipperary florist.”
Stationery
The couple designed their own invites and had them made as theatre tickets in keeping with the theme.
Wedding cake
“Our cake toppers we got in NYC when we got engaged and were Lego men which we made ourselves in the Lego shop,” Kris says. “So keeping with this the cake was iced as Lego blocks. One layer was red velvet (David’s favourite) one was chocolate biscuit cake (my favourite) and one was traditional wedding fruit cake.”
Photography
“We are delighted with our photos,” Kris says, “Johnny Corcoran just made us feel so at ease and made us laugh all the time. He even met us for a pre-wedding shoot which really was a great way of getting used to Johnny and for him to meet us and get to know us as a couple which I think shows in the pictures he took of the wedding day. We chose Johnny because my mother had mentioned she had read something about him in the paper recently. When I googled him I saw his logo as an elephant and wondered why. After emailing with him a while, he explained that he worked a great deal with the Irish Deaf Society, and the reason for the elephant was when you mouth the words “Elephant Shoe” it looks like you are saying ‘I Love You’, I really liked this story. His work is amazing and he uses a lot of natural light which we both really liked.”
Real Irish Wedding – Dawn Sheridan & Paul Ennis
Real Irish Weddings
Sun, sea and sand, this Kildare couple married in lovely Lanzarote
11th July 2016. Ceremony and reception at Cafe La Ola, Lanzarote
Photography by James Mitchell
Sun, sea and sand, this Kildare couple married in lovely Lanzarote
The couple
Teenage sweethearts Dawn and Paul first met many years ago when Dawn asked Paul to go to her debs.
The proposal
“Paul is typically not romantic, so when it happened he completely off guard,” Dawn begins. “We were at home on Valentine’s Day and I was preparing the vegetables at the kitchen sink. The two kids walked in holding flowers and chocolates for me and Paul followed suit except he was holding a ring box in his hand and wobbled down onto one knee.”
Venue
“Lanzarote is an island close to our hearts and our entire family travel to each year to holiday,” Dawn explains. “I always knew I wanted to get married abroad so it made sense for it to be Lanzarote. When I had viewed Cafe La Ola I knew it was the perfect place right on the seafront with a beautiful colourful relaxed Moroccan theme.”
Theme
“Cafe la Ola influenced my theme,” Dawn explains, “my bridesmaids wore coral dresses and the flower girls wore flowy ivory dresses with jewelled headpieces and handmade parasols.”
Photography
Dawn and Paul were “delighted” with their wedding photos by James Mitchell. “James was recommended by our wedding planner Ann Leneghan. I asked James for natural photos and to just capture the day, I didn’t want any posy photos and he did just that!”
Wedding planner
“Ann Lenegan was amazing and we could not have done it without her she was always just a click of an email away,” Dawns says. “She was a Godsend; she done all the organising for me… cake, flowers, priest, photographer and the schedule for the days leading up to the wedding. Silvia from Cafe La Ola is the wedding planner for the venue and she was a fantastic help also with the planning of the day/meal, music and general run of the day.”
Wedding dress
The bride looked sensational in a Mori Lee Madaline Garner New York wedding dress from Forever Bridal. “It was a lace and tulle dress in a fit and flare silhouette. I was in love with my dress; I felt amazing in it and did not want to take it off!”
Groomswear
The groom and grooms men wore navy blue skinny trousers and a white shirt from River Island.
Bridesmaids’ dresses
The bridesmaids wore soft coral dresses from Debenhams.
Flowers
Flowers by Serenity provided the wedding flowers. “I was very happy with the flowers,” Dawn says, “I had a half rounded bouquet of coral and ivory roses, and the bridesmaids had similar only smaller bouquets.”
Wedding cake
The couple went for a two-tier ivory cake with chocolate sponge and orange icing.
Mother of the bride
The mother of the bride wore a green full-length chiffon dress from Virgo Lounge. The mother of the groom wore a grey chiffon dress from Shaw’s.
Real Irish Wedding – Siobhan Reilly & Simon Dolphin
Real Irish Weddings
A super stylish Halloween themed do
31st October 2015. Ceremony at Kimmage Manor Church, Dublin followed by reception at Boyne Hill House, Navan
A super stylish Halloween-themed do
Photography by Tomasz Kornas
The couple
Dubliners Siobhan and Simon met on St. Stephen’s night back in 2009. “I was out with my friend, Orla that night and a group of the girls and Simon was out with Orla’s brother, Stephen and a group of his friends from college,” Siobhan recalls. “Because I knew both Orla and Stephen, I ended up chatting to Simon. We just hit it off straight away and we ended up spending the whole night together then. He asked Stephen for my number after that night and the rest as they say is history.”
The proposal
Four a half years later Simon popped the question in Chicago. “We had gone out for a nice dinner and then went for a cocktail at the top of the John Hancock skyscraper in the city,” Siobhan recalls. “After the cocktail and the amazing view, we went back to our hotel and had another drink in the bar there. It wasn’t until we were back in our hotel room, that Simon popped the question – I was happy about that though because I wouldn’t want an audience. I was surprised but it was a great surprise and a brilliant way to end the holiday!”
Wedding dress
Siobhan got her wedding dress in Smart Brides, Portlaoise and accessorised with jewellery from Jules Bridal.
Bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore purple dresses from Wedding World, Fairview.
Groomswear
The grooms wear was bought from Collar and Cuff, Glasnevin.
Theme
“The theme of the day was to have fun and for everyone to relax and enjoy themselves,” Siobhan says. “We left lots of little games on all of the reception tables for our guests to have fun with during the day and night. As it was also Halloween, we had some pumpkins and ghost decorations around the venue to create a bit of an atmosphere. The sweet table was Halloween themed. The colour scheme of the wedding was purple. I made the orange pom poms from wool with help from my friends for the mini pumpkins, which became the place names on the tables. I made all of the paper pinwheels which were the centerpieces on the tables. We put them in jars on the centre of the tables with some printed music sheets and purple tissue paper.”
Wedding cake
Simon’s aunt Patsy Duffy from Granma’s Cakes made the skiing-themed wedding cake. “We both love snowboarding and skiing and try to go every year if we can,” Siobhan says, “it was a fun way to make the wedding day a bit more personal for all our family and friends.”
Stationery
“I created the Save the Date cards for our guests and I designed the invites for the day,” Siobhan says. “A friend of one of my bridesmaids, Sinead Fahey who is an artist, painted a beautiful watercolour illustration, which I used as the image on the invite and I also used it on some of the signs at the venue on the day.” Snap Printing printed the stationery.
Flowers
The flowers were organised by the church, and the bride and bridesmaids made the brooch bouquets and button holes.
Photography
“From the moment we met Tomasz Kornas we knew we had the right photographer,” Siobhan says. “On the wedding day, he was relaxed and easygoing and he was really great at getting the right shots on the day. He had some great ideas for photographs and what would look good and the resulting images are so beautiful, and artistic. We really just wanted to have fun, enjoy the day and Tomasz really captured this. He didn’t expect us to do lots of poses but to relax and enjoy the moment. His candid shots of our friends and family members at the wedding are lovely and they give us beautiful snapshots and captured the small moments of the day.”
Top tips
Siobhan: “Try and add some personal things about the two of you into the wedding if you can. I think it does add something special to the day. Enjoy all of the little things with your bridesmaids and family and friends before the wedding. Make some time for you and your husband to be before the day.”
Favourite memory
Simon: After getting married and walking out of the church with Siobhan under the guard of honour of hockey sticks and hurls held up by our friends.
Siobhan: Having a nice relaxing morning with my bridesmaids and Mam, getting ready in the house and then walking down the aisle to meet Simon at the top. It was nerve-racking but a lovely moment too.
Real Irish Wedding – Andrew Wood & Ann McGill
Real Irish Weddings
A butterfly-themed wedding with a countryside setting
8th July 2016. Ceremony and reception at The Red Door Country House, Donegal
Photos by Patrick Duddy Photography
A butterfly-themed wedding with a countryside setting
The couple
This couple first met during a night out in Derry/Londonderry back in 2009 in the Gweedore nightclub.
The proposal
Four years later on Christmas morning Andrew brought Ann in a glass of champagne while she was feeding their baby Aodhan, who was only three-weeks old at the time. Andrew got down on one knee, popped the question and his other half wasted no time in saying, ‘Yes!’
Venue
“We chose The Red Door Country House in Fahan, Donegal as it was one of our favourite places to go for Sunday lunches and dinners,” Ann recalls. “The food and service is always fabulous. We also knew we could have a civil ceremony there and it catered for smaller, more intimate weddings. The stunning location on the banks of Lough Swilly also played a part in our decision.”
Theme
The couple opted for a butterfly-themed day which featured on the bride’s hair comb, wedding cake, on the flower girl’s dress and on jam jars of flowers which were made by Poppy Lane.
Photography
“We saw some photos on Patrick Duddy’s website that he had taken of a wedding in The Red Door and we loved the natural, unobtrusive, journalistic style,” Ann says. “We are delighted with our photos as they capture so many special moments of our day.”
Wedding dress
Ann looked gorgeous in a Sincerity Bridal wedding dress from the Bridal Showroom, Derry. “I loved it because it was a flattering design for my shape; it was simple tulle material with specks of sparkle and jewels,” Ann recalls.
Grooms wear
The groom and grooms men wore Remus Uomo suits from Cityman, Derry.
Bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore fuchsia pink dresses by True Bride from The Bridal Showroom, Derry.
Wedding flowers
Bloomin’ Marvellous Flowers, Buncrana supplied the wedding flowers. “The bridesmaids’ carried cream and baby pink roses,” Ann says. “My flower girl and I had cream roses with fuchsia pink and cream freesia. The groom, best man, groomsmen, fathers of bride and groom and pageboy had thistle buttonholes as did the mothers. I lived in Glasgow for a few years and have family there so thistles were a significant and important symbol.”
Stationery
A friend of the couples designed and printed the wedding stationery.
Wedding cake
Pretty Elegant Cakes created the three-tiered cake decorated with ivory icing, edible roses and freesias and fuchsia butterflies. “It was the best cake we have ever tasted,” Ann enthuses. “The bottom layer was chocolate cake with chocolate orange ganache, the middle layer was lemon cake with lemon butter, and the top layer was classic Victoria sponge with homemade raspberry jam and cream.”
Favourite moment
Andrew: seeing Ann for the first time in her dress as she joined me at the ceremony table.
Ann: walking down the aisle with my new husband and our beautiful son, seeing the smiling faces of our family and friends.
Real Irish Wedding – Erin Kelly and Martin Hamilton
Real Irish Weddings
This couple opted for a Celtic themed day
Friday 5th August 2016. Ceremony at St. Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry, followed by reception at An Grianán Hotel, Burt, Donegal
This couple chose a Celtic theme for their special day
Photography by Mustafa Oymak of Yez Lifestyle Photography
The couple
Teenage sweethearts Erin and Martin first met ten years ago at school when they were just 17 years’ of age and went to the formal together.
The proposal
Martin proposed by the lake at Lough Eske Castle, Donegal on the 22nd of April 2014. “He took me completely by surprise especially as he had asked my parents’ permission weeks in advance and I didn’t have a clue,” Erin says, “he had chosen the ring by himself and it was perfect.”
Venue
“We chose An Grianán without looking at any other hotels because of their amazing circular function room,” Erin explains, “I had always wanted the hotel to reflect the Celtic theme of the wedding that I always wanted and An Grianán’s location and history represented this perfectly. They are also well known for their impeccable service and food so this was one of the easiest decisions for us. The hotel was brilliant to deal with and the day went so smoothly and without a flaw largely down to the hotel’s amazing service and professionalism. We are so glad that we chose An Grianán for our big day.”
Theme
“I had always wanted a very elegant day but with subtle Celtic hints carried throughout the day and the venue played a big part in that,” Erin says. “The invitations were the first indicator of the theme. They were ivory with lace and a small Celtic knot button. We had Irish traditional music during the ceremony and the musicians played the tin whistle, flute and guitar. The favours were also subtle indicators of the Celtic theme; the ladies got soaps inside a handmade (by my aunt) Irish linen favour bag and the men also got mini Baileys bottles in the same Irish linen bottle bags. As an Irish speaker I also wanted to incorporate this into the wedding. So we had some the readings and blessings in the ceremony in Irish and I had three different Irish seanfhocail (proverbs) on the wine bottles at each of the tables.”
Photography
Mustafa Oymak of Yez Lifestyle Photography Derry captured the wedding photography. “We have always loved his style of photography, it is very classy and stylish but still natural and this was exactly the style we wanted for our photographs and we are delighted with how they have turned out,” Erin enthuses. “The essence of the day was captured perfectly by Mustafa and that is just what we wanted. I especially love all the natural shots from the ceremony, as we didn’t even feel like we were being photographed which is testament to Mustafa’s professionalism.”
Wedding dress
Erin wore a stunning Rosa Clara wedding dress from Bridal By Seven, Newry. The dress was similar to one worn by the bride’s grandmother was inspired by traditional style of icons Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. Erin recalls, “When I tried it on I knew it was the perfect dress for me. It was a brocade design and so light as it was made from a silk Mikado material. It had three-quarter length sleeves and the detail was just beautiful. The train was a cathedral length train and the Rosa Clara veil was the same length as the train. I loved that it was so timeless and classic yet still a little different at the same time and I will forever be indebted to the ladies of Bridal by Seven for finding me my dream dress!”
Groomswear
The groom and groomsmen all wore the same three-piece black suits with silk piping from The Black Tie Showroom, Derry accessorised with soft grey ties to match the bridesmaids’ dresses. “They were so well fitted and were also a great timeless and classic choice,” Erin says, “Martin was gifted a pocket watch from my mother to wear on the day with the same Celtic knot on the front of it as was on the invitations.”
The bridesmaids
The Bridesmaids wore steel grey Harmony dresses from the True Bride’s collection from Elite Brides, Letterkenny. “The dresses were a beautiful fit and they had the most beautiful detail on the belt and the V shaped back matched the back of my own dress perfectly,” Erin says, “they wore hair combs from Sparkle by Elle on Etsy which was smaller version of my own Celtic hair comb from the same place.”
Wedding flowers
Pat Monteith of Pat’s Pots in Derry created the wedding flowers. “Pat was amazing as she completely understood the theme and got all the tiny details covered perfectly,” Erin says. “One of my favourite parts of the flowers was my bouquet. Pat made a trailing bouquet of ivy, ferns and white roses which reached the floor and was even more beautiful in real life! She also surprised us with a hand painted sign which was displayed in the hotel foyer and which was such a lovely personal touch.”
Stationery
Ryan Patrick Design, Limavady designed the wedding stationery in keeping with the Celtic theme. “We had so many people commenting on the quality of the invitations and how perfectly made they were; their eye for detail was amazing and this was shown in their quality of work,” Erin enthuses.
Wedding cake
Kiera Duddy of Pretty Elegant Cakes in Derry designed and made the wedding cake and in flavours Victoria sponge, chocolate Baileys and carrot cake. “Kiera also made our cupcakes for the champagne reception with flavours ranging from lemon drizzle, banoffee and raspberry ruffle – to say these went down a treat would be an understatement and Kiera displayed the cupcakes beautifully also,” Erin says.
Top Tip
Martin: Always agree with the bride! (Lol)
Erin: No matter what style of wedding day you chose just make sure that it is exactly what you want, as it is your day and you should enjoy every single moment of it!
Real Irish Wedding – Aoife Foley & Andy Piper
Real Irish Weddings
A fun festival themed wedding
18th June 2016. Ceremony at St Alphonsus’ Church, Barntown, followed by reception at Ferrycarrig Hotel, Wexford
A fun festival themed wedding
Photography by Katie Kavanagh
The couple
This Waterford couple met in Ruby’s Lounge Bar in Waterford one Sunday night out back in 2009. Aoife and her friends spotted Andy who is quite tall at 6’ 8” and Aoife who is 5’1 asked for a photo with him. They got talking, hit it off and became ‘official’ on 15th January.
The proposal
Andy popped the questions during a trip to Bali in July 2014. “Andy had booked us a fancy dinner in Breeze Restaurant, Seminyak, for our second night there,” Aoife begins, “our table was on the terrace overlooking the beach. We watched the sunset and enjoyed an amazing dinner. While sipping cocktails, Andy got down on one knee with a beautiful gold token ring in hand, and popped the question with some lovely words. I said, ‘Of course I will,’ but that whole part was a total blur afterwards! We took about an hour to ourselves and Andy told me that he had met my Dad, to ‘ask for permission’ beforehand. When the shock had died down we started ringing our families and friends to share the news.”
Venue
After researching wedding venues located within an hour’s drive of Dungarvan and Waterford city the couple booked the Ferrycarrig Hotel. “We had been at a New Years Eve wedding in the Ferrycarrig previously and thought it was beautiful,” Aoife explains. “ We received such a warm welcome when we went to look around and thought it was such a beautiful place. I think the view of the river from the ballroom really sold it to us. We are both from coastal areas (Clonea and Tramore) and love the water.”
Theme
“We wanted a fun, relaxed vibe, and decided on a festival theme for our wedding,” Aoife says. “We had festival tickets for our invites and a ‘Line Up’ of stages etc. for our seating plan. My mother made colourful bunting to hang around the venue, while my sister and I made free-standing quote signs. One of the groomsmen made road signs, a signpost was borrowed from my school, and a number of friends helped to cut out and assemble ‘fan’ mass booklets. Our florist ensured that our arrangements weren’t too structured and made flowercrowns for the flowergirls. We chose a campervan as our wedding transport from Volksweddings. Our second day celebrations also carried these vibes as a barbeque in my parents’ home.”
Photography
“Our photographer was the extremely talented Katie Kavanagh,” Aoife enthuses, “Andy was groomsman in a wedding that she shot before, and told her then that she would be his wedding photographer if and when he got married – mainly due to the fact that she could control his friends! We were thrilled with our wedding photos. Katie, and second shooter Kevin Curry, captured the whole story of our day in a fun, relaxed way. We didn’t even know they were shooting most of the time and we had so much fun with the formal shots. We hadn’t expected to actually enjoy that part of the day!”
Wedding dress
Aoife looked radiant in a Justin Alexander wedding dress from Bijou Bridal, Tramore. “It was the third dress I tried on and couldn’t stop smiling according to the girls,” Aoife recalls. “ I had organised a big day out dress-shopping the following week with my mum and four bridesmaids, but kept comparing each dress to the one I had seen so it was then that I really knew it was ‘the one’. It was strapless, with a sweetheart neckline, fitted to just under the bum and then flowed freely in chiffon. There was pearl and jewel embellishment on the fitted part and I wore a cathedral veil. I loved my dress! When I put it on that morning, I felt so beautiful. My amazing hair and makeup stylists had also done an amazing job; Cathy from www.bridalhair.ie and Anita from The Powder Room, Gorey.”
Groomswear
The groom and groomsmen wore Bartoni navy three-piece suits from Gregory’s Clothes for Men, Waterford. The groomsmen and best man’s ties were pale blue while the groom wore a peach tie, like the flowergirls’ dresses. All of the men wore tan shoes and superhero socks.
The bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore pale blue Ronald Joyce dresses purchased in Amarra Bridal, Newbridge. The dresses had a lace top, were fitted with beautiful button detail on the back, and chiffon fabric flowed across the body from the waist down.
Wedding flowers
Melanie from The Fussy Peacock created the wedding flowers. “I went to her with our colour scheme and said I wanted something free and not too structured, in pastel colours,” Aoife recalls. “She went through every flower that she would include with me, and did a fantastic job, creating beautiful bouquets and buttonholes, seasonal flower pew-ends, flower crowns and an altar piece.”
Stationery
Marina Moloney created our festival-themed ticket invitations and table plan. “We sent on a few images from the internet of what we were looking for, but the sample Marina sent back was even better than what we imagined,” Aoife says. “Carmel from Caricatures by Carmel created a fun caricature as our guest board. The mass booklets were home-made, using a fan template, and assembled by our friends.”
Wedding cake
“We had a dessert table, containing a three-tier naked cake, traditional fruitcake, chocolate biscuit cake and brownies,” Aoife says. “My sister Cliodhna who has a baking blog – www.forcakesake.net, made the naked cake, biscuit cake and brownies, while my Mum made and iced the fruitcake. All were arranged on rustic tree slabs.”
Mother of the Bride and Groom
Angela the Mother of the Bride wore a white, blue and gold drop-waist Linea Raffaelli dress from Nicola Ross, Naas, and a gold headpiece from Bonzi in Waterford. Úna, the Mother of the Groom wore a long coral dress from Nightingales and a blue headpiece was from Signet, Dungarvan.
Favourite moment
Andy: My favourite moment was turning around to see Aoife and her father walking up the aisle. Aside from that, I loved having all of our family and friends in one place.
Aoife: I absolutely loved walking up the aisle to Andy. and seeing all our family and friends there for us, I started bawling crying. I thought I’d be nervous, but got so excited as we pulled up to the church. I also loved all the dancing, especially the Silent Disco at the end!
Real Irish Wedding – Edwina Treanor & Kevin Redmond
Real Irish Weddings
A delightful afternoon-tea themed wedding
18th June 2016. Reception at St. Macartan’s Cathedral Monaghan, followed by reception at Corick Country House Hotel & Spa
A delightful afternoon-tea themed wedding
Photography by Philip Smyth / Eddie R. Photography
The couple
Monaghan couple Edwina and Kevin met on a ‘random night out’ in Monaghan.
The proposal
Kevin popped the question during a romantic break in London, May 2014. “Kevin worked for the Savoy in London for a year and we went for a champagne afternoon tea, the setting was beautiful with a grand piano playing in the background when he proposed,” Edwina begins.
Venue
“Kevin fell in love with the Corick Country House on our first visit,” Edwina begins. “It had a lovely vintage old time feel and the gardens were beautiful. We felt if we didn’t have good weather the venue would be able to host beautiful photographs. We were very lucky as the function room was renovated two months before our wedding and our wedding party were the first ones to sit on the new bespoke chairs.”
Theme
“We carried the afternoon tea theme from the engagement right through the invitations, cake and decor of the wedding,” Edwina says. “Our table plan was an old painted palette with delicate china plates and guests’ names printed on them. Every table had a centre piece of a china teapot and teacups with homemade candles in each one.”
Photography
“We choose two photographers; my uncle Philip Smyth, an established wedding photographer based in Galway. Philip is a classical wedding photographer, capturing beautiful posed and family photographs,” Edwina says. “Eddie is just starting out in his photography career – in contrast his style features natural and unaware moments. We feel like we had a perfect balance with the combination of both photographers.”
Wedding dress
“I had been shopping for the wedding dress for a few months, with a very clear vision of my dress; the dress I found was almost completely opposite to this vision!” Edwina recalls. “My dress was by Ronald Joyce, purchased in Modern Fashions, Dundalk. From the minute I tried it on I felt amazing. There was so much detail to both the front and back. The built in embellished belt highlighted my waist while the fishtail bottom accentuated my silhouette. When the veil was put on I felt like a bride.”
Groomswear
Kevin and the groomsmen got their suits from Boyle’s for Men, Monaghan. “We choose a classic fitted navy three-piece suits, the groomsmen wore slim ties to match the bridesmaids’ dresses while Kevin wore a navy printed dickie-bow,” Edwina says.
The bridesmaids
The bridesmaids looked stunning in embellished fluted sleeve muted grey chiffon dresses from ASOS. “My bridesmaids really did look beautiful and the dress fitted with the vintage romantic pastel theme carried through the wedding,” Edwina recalls. “The dresses were the first thing we purchased, and the colour scheme was inspired by the dresses.”
Wedding flowers
Skea Flowers, Fermanagh provided the wedding flowers. “They were a wild mix of Hydrangeas, Peony’s and various pastel flowers and foliage,” Edwina says. “The bride’s bouquet was handtied and finished with a trailing blue satin ribbon. The flowers smelled incredible and that smell will always bring me back to the wedding day.”
Stationery
Kerry Harvey Designs created the wedding stationery. “We had been in touch with another supplier who was making bespoke invites but let us down last minute. I contacted Kerry in a panic and she saved the day. Due to time constraints we opted for and off the peg style we fell in love with and suited our wedding perfectly. Kerry was a pleasure to deal with.”
Wedding cake
“The first time I saw our wedding cake I was amazed; it was breath-taking,” Edwina enthuses. “It was by Emma Stuart from Truly Scrumptious, inspired by our wedding invites. We displayed our cake on an antique dressing table and it really framed the cake beautifully. It was the star of the show and I loved looking down and seeing all our guests desperately trying the take photograph before we ruined it by cutting it!”
Mother of the bride
The mother of the bride looked gorgeous in a pale pink embroidered two-piece from Gasp Boutique, Armagh, accessorised with a custom-made matching fascinator.
Favourite moment
Kevin: “When Edwina arrived to the church. She was 45 minutes late and had assured the night before she was going to be on time! I’ll admit I was just starting to get nervous when I heard the crowds whispers stop and the music playing. Knowing she had arrived, I felt like I could relax, everything was ok, she was here!”
Edwina: “My favourite moment was arriving at the church as well! It’s the moment a lot of brides fear, standing at the bottom of the aisle waiting to walk, but I had a strange feeling of calmness and serenity. I couldn’t wait to just walk up and see Kevin. It was just lovely seeing all our friends and family joined together for Kevin and I.”
Real Irish Weddings- Emma Mitchell and Tim Cush
Real Irish Weddings
This couple went for a classic and elegant vintage theme.
6th August 2016, Ceremony at St. Mac Nissius, Tannaghmore followed by reception at Ballygally Castle
Photography by Juanita Cummings
This couple went for a classic and elegant vintage theme
The couple
Emma and Tim worked at the same company for three years but it was only on his last day that Tim plucked up the courage to ask Emma out for dinner.
The proposal
Tim popped the question on a surprise trip to Versailles! The couple stayed in Trianon Palace and after a delicious lunch they took a rowing boat out on the grand canal where Tim got down on one knee. They finished off the magical day with a photo shoot in the palace gardens.
Venue
For the big day Emma and Tim chose the beautiful Ballygally Castle for its stunning location on the coast. They loved how they could have their wedding photographs on the beach.
Theme
“I love all things vintage so I had many quirky ideas for the wedding,” Emma says. “We kept things simple as we love neutral colours. Lots of rustic wood pieces like the apple crates, personalised wooden table log, the milk churns, the naked cake with a touch of country style with the lavender, roses and gyp flowers.”
Photography
Photography was by Juanita Cummings. “She is absolutely amazing from the moment we met her we knew she was the one,” Emma says. “She loves her job and that comes across in her work, she blended in so well and just felt like part of the family on the day.”
Wedding dress
Emma wore a stunning gown with a sweetheart neckline and lace detail from LA Bridal. She accessorised the look with a full length two-tiered veil and Pink by Paradox peep toe shoes.
Groomswear
Tim wore a Herbie Frogg suit from Bogart menswear. It was a slim fit style in navy blue.
Bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore pale pink dresses from Forever Bridal in Belfast
Wedding flowers
Emma carried a beautiful bouquet of ivory roses and the bridesmaids had huge bunches of gypsophilia. The couple also included lavender in their ceremony decoration. All flowers were from Antrim florist Bernie McCollum.
Stationery
Handmade fresh lavender stationery was by Ciara Patrick designs. Emma says, “They smelt and looked amazing.”
Wedding cake
The couple opted for a rustic naked wedding cake to fit their theme by Angel Cake bakery in Coleraine.
Top Tip
Have someone keeping an eye on time. “We ran late all day,” says Emma. “Time really is the last thing on your mind.”
Jenny Sharp and Matthew Mawhinney #RIW
Real Irish Weddings
This couple went for a ‘polished shabby chic’ theme
26th September 2015. Ceremony at Whitehouse Presbyterian Church, Newtownabbey followed by reception at Orange Tree House, Greyabbey
Photography by Ten21
This couple went for a ‘polished shabby chic’ theme
The couple
Jenny and Matthew met in a Belfast nightclub and developed a friendship. “I used to call him my dancing partner,” Jenny says. “Matthew travelled to New Zealand for six months and we both quickly realised that our relationship was more than just friends!”
The proposal
Matthew took his other half by surprise when he popped the question at Howth Lighthouse. “We were so lucky that a local photographer was there on a walk with his camera and was able to take some candid shots of the proposal,” Jennys says. “Matthew then whisked me off to Dubai that evening to pick the engagement ring. The proposal couldn’t have been any more romantic or special.”
Venue
“Matthew is from Cloughy in the Ards Peninsula and through visiting family we got to see each stage of the development of Orange Tree House,” Jenny says. “As soon as we got engaged, we went to visit Jan and Simon at Orange Tree House. The venue didn’t even have doors when we went to visit it, but we loved it right away! We were very lucky to celebrate our wedding in a venue that was so special to us both.”
Theme
The couple opted for a ‘polished shabby chic’ theme with a relaxed, romantic feel.
Venue stylist
“Styling the wedding was definitely a team effort,” Jenny says. “I couldn’t have done it without my family their eagled eyed help picking up items for the wedding. One of my favourite memories in the lead up to the wedding was sitting with my family doing the favours for the table. My dad making boxes of chocolates, helping himself to one or two! My sister, mum and I tying little bows to mini bottles of Jägermeister… it was so much fun! Mood Event Decoration helped us with some finishing touches for our polished shabby chic theme such as chalk boards, fairy lights and hurricane containers for external candles.”
Wedding dress
The bride looked stunning in a Suzanne Neville gown from Castle Couture. “The wedding dress felt like a dream,” Jenny says. “I loved the layers of silk, the way it moved and the stunning sequins and pearl detail on the shoulders. The dree was everything I could have ever wanted for my wedding dress.”
Groomswear
The groom wore Remus Uomo Navy Tails Suit form Hire Class NI.
The bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore beaded ivory tops and blush chiffon skirts with pockets from Coast.
Wedding flowers
The wedding flowers were by Marie Cafolla and featured a combination of large, blousy O’Hara roses, blush sweet avalanche roses, ivory lisianthus, silver Brunia berries, dusty miller foliage, gypsophila, euculyptus parvi and asparagus fern. The bouquets were bound with ivory organza ribbon and finished with pearl pins.
Stationery
The White Letter designed the wedding stationery. “Stationery was so important for me, being in marketing I know how important the invitations are as the first piece of your wedding that your guests get to see,” Jenny says. “It included a foil dotty theme which I felt was fun and timeless. The stationary was carried through from the invites, order or service, table plan, table numbers, favour tags and bathroom poems.”
Wedding cake
The wedding cake was from Marks and Spencer. It was a simple classic design made up of sponge, chocolate and fruit cake. Maria Cafolla provided flowers to finish off the design.
Favourite moment
Matthew: Walking down the aisle with my beautiful wife, having just signed the register, to the sound of a string quartet playing and seeing all our friends and family clapping and cheering!
Jenny: Walking up the aisle with my dad by my side. We were both very emotional; I am the baby of the family so very close to both my mum and dad. It felt so special walking up the aisle seeing all my family and friends there to celebrate our big day. Once I locked eyes with Matthew, it instantly made me calm and ready to make the vows.
Mother of the Bride
The Mother of the Bride wore an elegant John Charles blush pink dress with matching jacket from Blush, Belfast.
Randal Stronge & Sinthiya Punnialingam #RIW
Real Irish Weddings
This couple had not one but two wedding days
6th August 2016. Ceremony at Dunfanaghy Presbyterian Church, followed by reception at Randal’s parents’ home, Glen, Co, Donegal
This couple had not one but two wedding days
Photography by Nicola Kelly & Lisa McGrath
The couple
This Co. Down groom met his London bride at work. “We were both working in a London hospital in the same department and neither of us were brave enough to ask each other out,” Sinthiya begins, “so we managed to get together at the Mess Party; a party involving doctors and free alcohol-hence the name! It was at the Tram in Tooting.”
The proposal
Randal popped the question on Marble Hill Strand, Co. Donegal. “As expected, the Donegal weather hadn’t been great,” Sinthiya recalls, “Randal, hoping for a window in the weather, waited all day and finally decided that the best way forward was to walk the length of the beach with sea water spraying into our faces and with a wet knee proposed. I started to cry and said, ‘yes’. When Randal asked me what I thought of the engagement ring all I remember saying, ‘I can’t see anything in all this rain!’”
Venue
“We chose to have a marquee at Randal’s parents’ house and use their decking, it has a beautiful view over Glen Lake towards Muckish Mountain and we wanted people to enjoy the house as much as we do,” Sinthiya says.
Theme
“Randal, like his personality, wanted a laid back relaxed garden party,” Sinthiya explains. “Prior to this wedding, we had a Hindu ceremony involving 500 guests so we wanted an intimate affair and opportunity for all our friends from London and further afield to enjoy the beauty of County Donegal.”
Photography
Sinthiya found Nicola Kelly through Instagram when looking for photos taken in Donegal. “We met up with her and we were put at ease immediately,” Sinthiya says. “On the day, Lisa McGrath also joined in and Randal who, honestly speaking hates the camera felt comfortable with them both. At one point when Nicola was taking photos of me on the beach and I squealed, ‘don’t include my hairy toes!’ at which everyone laughed.”
Wedding planner
Randal’s parents Joy and Ken planned the wedding for the couple. “Most people may find it difficult to trust their future mother-in-law, but I felt incredibly lucky to have someone who had great attention to detail and help realise what we wanted,” Sinthiya enthuses. “On the day the best man, his girlfriend and I decorated the marquee while Randal’s family were cleaning up the house and garden. It was lovely that it was a family affair – though very stressful for the Stronge family. Randal met up with Cormac who worked at the Old Glen Pub who provided us with the canapes, hog roast and Kinnegar beer.”
Wedding dress
The bride looked radiant in a wedding dress she designed herself. “It was made from a sari which I brought from Sri Lanka where my family is from, as I wanted to include my culture in the wedding,” Sinthiya explains. “I wanted the veil to be very special, so I created my veil using the heavy embroidery on the sari material. Unfortunately the dress had gone through different tailors due to various changes but thankfully on the day it fitted beautifully. I felt very nervous and when Randal lifted the veil it felt perfect!”
Groomswear
“Just prior to the wedding, we had gone to six weddings so Randal had a better idea of what he wanted,” Sinthiya says. “A week before the wedding Randal went to TM Lewin and brought a navy suit with a waistcoat. Both the wedding dress and the suit cost under £600.”
The bridesmaids
“I didn’t have bridesmaids as I had 19 bridesmaids at the Hindu ceremony! So Randal’s sisters’ sons walked before me and had the same heather on their suits as Randal,” Sinthiya says.
Wedding flowers
“I love lilies as they smell great and look majestic so Joy pre-ordered them from Aanee’s in Letterkenny and we decorated the church in white lilies and fronds,” Sinthiya says. “Joy chose the flowers that I was supposed to carry however prior to getting in the car to the church Dad wanted to practice holding hands for our walk. During that time I forgot to take the bunch of flowers with me but I did hold onto it for most of the night!”
Stationery
“We got personalised apple juice from Cuddybridge Apple juice (Pebbles,Scotland) personalised number plate and a Rolls Royce from Peter McClean Wedding cars (Letterkenny), small photos to hang up by LaLaLab, multiple candles from Ikea and lots of candle holders from all the glass yogurt pots Joy had saved,” Sinthiya says.
Favourite moment
Randal: I had an amazing day. It was great to see everyone having fun. Seeing Sinthiya arrive at the alter with tears in her eyes or laughing on the beach being blasted by sand while having our photos taken are the two that stand out.
Sinthiya: From having my hair done by my friend Merle (who happens to be an anaesthetist), welling up with tears as I walked down the aisle with my father, Jack (Randal’s nephew) ringing the church bell with a massive grin on his face, seeing the beautiful sun on Dunfanaghy’s coast line and dancing like a nutcase to my favourite Tamil song!
Real Irish Wedding – Edel McLeod & Paul McConnell
Real Irish Weddings
This couple hooked up with help from a friendly matchmaker!
3rd June 2016. Ceremony at St. Patrick’s Church, Armagh, followed by reception at Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan
Photography by Ciaran O’Neill
This couple hooked up with help from a friendly matchmaker!
The couple
“Paul and I met in Macari’s Newsagents, Armagh in 2010,” Edel begins. “I worked in the shop and Paul would have come in every week to collect the Motorsport News that was left over each week for him. Paul started to collect the paper every Monday between 12pm-1pm as I was working the lunch hour myself. We would have talked for ages and we didn’t even know each other’s names – only I knew he was McConnell which was written on his paper. One day Sharon and Brenda arrived back from lunch early. Paul and I were obviously standing talking and once Paul left Sharon said, ‘oh you two would make a lovely couple. I am getting his number for you’. She did and let’s say the rest is history!”
The proposal
Paul popped the question back in February 2013 in Carlingford. “We were walking around the castle in the wind and rain,” Edel recalls. “I noticed Paul’s shoelace was undone so I said to him to tie it. While he was tying it I mentioned people might think he was proposing kneeling down on one knee. He said yep it sure does. Then he said, ‘Edel will you marry me?’ I thought he was joking because Paul is not romantic. He was serious! We went a few days later to choose the ring at Jack Murphy Jewellers, Newry and we told family and friends about a month later as I had to get my engagement ring especially made.”
Venue
The reception venue to pick was an easy decision for the couple who chose the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan.
Wedding dress
The bride looked radiant in a Ronal Joyce wedding dress from McElhinneys, Ballybofey. “I didn’t choose to try on my dress; my Mummy picked it for me and it was the first one I tried on thinking, ‘ah I will get it out of the way,’ Edel recalls. “But once I tried it on I fell in love. All the other dresses didn’t stand up to it and knew it was the one! The dress I chose was the complete opposite of what I thought I would have picked.”
Groomswear
Paul wore a suit from RED Groomswear, Cookstown. It was the Azzurri: Blue Slim Fit Wedding three-piece suit. The groom’s suit was accessorised with an ivory shirt and ivory textured tie to complete, the groomsmen wore navy ties.
The bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore True Bridesmaids gowns from Pronupita, Belfast.
Wedding flowers
“Pinterest was a great help choosing my wedding flowers,” Edel says. “I love roses and daisies and wanted to include both in my bouquet. I also wanted texture in the bouquet. I visited my florist will loads of ideas and photos and she created the perfect bouquet for me. They were made by Kay Casey – a local woman from Armagh City.”
Stationery
Ciara Patrick Designs in Cookstown designed the wedding stationery.
Wedding cake
Johnston’s Bakery in Armagh created the three-tiered wedding cake in flavours; fruit, plain and chocolate. “I wanted a keepsake from our cake so I got a personalised cake topper,” Edel explains, “it was Paul in his work clothes, me in wedding dress and we couldn’t forget our dog Charlie. It was made by a lovely woman called Cheryl from Artlocke Designs.”
Favourite moment
Paul: Getting to drive the Jaguar XK140. Apart from that watching Edel walk up the aisle one last time as Edel McLeod before she became Mrs McConnell.
Edel: The ceremony was highlight of mine; walking up the aisle with my daddy and seeing Paul waiting for me was very surreal.
Top Tip
Paul: Get a really good videographer (Paul Hughes Videographer, Keady) and photographer like ours. The video and pictures make your day last forever.
Edel: Don’t try and please everyone. It’s your wedding day, do what you love, invite the people you want and make sure it’s the best day our life. Also try to be organised as soon as possible and it will eliminate any stress when it starts to get closer to the big day. Paul and I won Ciaran O’Neill’s competition at the NI Wedding Journal Online show at the King’s Hall in February 2014. This was the first and last show Paul was going to! Good job we went as we ended up winning the £2000 prize. We couldn’t believe we won as we never win anything.
Real Irish Wedding – Katie Ryan & Eddie Costello
Real Irish Weddings
This couple opted for a chic black-tie affair
19th March 2016. Ceremony at St Michael’s Church, Laois followed by reception at The Keadeen Hotel, Kildare
This couple opted for a chic black-tie affair
Photography by Weddings by Kara
The couple
Eddie and Katie first met in college in Maynooth back in 2006. “We were both in our first year of college and met at the house of a mutual friend before a night out,” Katie begins. “I was studying Irish and Eddie convinced me he spoke it fluently and that he could help me with an assignment! We haven’t looked back since.”
The proposal
Seven years later Eddie popped the question during a trip away to Cork. “We usually go away for a few days around April as it’s close to our anniversary. “We got a ferry out to Whiddy Island, which is a small island just off the coast of Bantry,” Katie says, “we spent some time exploring and found a little secluded beach. That’s where Eddie proposed – he had been planning it all along and had even spoken to my parents about it the previous week. It was a perfect day.”
Venue
After spending time researching venues, the couple fell in love with the Keadeen Hotel. “As soon as we visited the Keadeen, it just felt right,” Katie says. “It’s a family-run hotel that has a lovely cosy and relaxed feel to it. We wanted somewhere that could comfortably cater for all our guests, and the Keadeen ticked all the boxes. It has a great reputation for its food and beautiful gardens too. The staff (particularly Tina) were excellent – from the food tasting to room layout, no request was too big or too small!”
Theme
“We didn’t start out by planning for a theme as such, but as decisions started being made we realised we wanted everything to have a sort of timelessness about it,” Katie explains, “we didn’t want it to age. So we went for traditional tuxes for the men and soft colours for the bridesmaids and flowers – it all kind of came together naturally. It also helped us choose our table names – each table was named after a year in our lives.”
Wedding dress
The bride looked radiant in a Ronald Joyce wedding dress from Amarra Bridal, Newbridge. “The owner of Amarra Bridal, Mary, is fantastic and I absolutely loved trying on the wedding dresses,” Katie says. “I don’t think I tried any I didn’t like, but I did find myself going back to the same style all the time. It’s a bit of a cliché but as soon as I tried on my dress I knew it was the one I wanted.”
Groomswear
The groom and his groomsmen wore tuxes from Moran’s menswear, Thurles. “ The black tux was one of the first decisions we made; they are classic and never go out of style,” Katie says. “Moran’s were fantastic to deal with and did everything in their power to fit the lads out in bespoke tuxes at reasonable rates.”
The bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore dresses by Dessy, also from Amarra Bridal.
Wedding flowers
Dee from Forget Me Not Flowers, Kildare created the wedding flowers. “I knew I didn’t want them too structured and loved the arrangements Dee came up with,” Katie recalls. “The blue hydrangeas in my bouquet complimented the roses perfectly. Forget me nots are actually some of my favourite flowers, and Dee even managed to incorporate some into my bouquet and Eddie’s buttonhole.”
Stationery
The bride designed the stationery myself using Vistaprint and found it straightforward to use.
Wedding cake
A family friend made the wedding cake.
Favourite moment
Eddie: My favourite bit was waiting in the church with my brothers and brother-in-law beside me. We were chatting and laughing away nervously amongst ourselves and the priest – my uncle Ben. Also having my parents, sister and sister in law all behind me made me feel more comfortable too, until Katie appeared up the aisle in front of me. She was stunning. I didn’t feel nervous anymore. I couldn’t take my eyes off her for the rest of the day.
Bride: Saying our vows, the speeches, feeling the support of friends and family, seeing everything come together. The wedding ceremony was probably my favourite part of the day – walking up the aisle with my Dad, and seeing Eddie waiting for me at the top – I was so excited to see him and felt like I’d loads to tell him, even though it had only been a couple of days since we’d seen each other! It was a very personal ceremony and a friend of mine, Ann-Marie, sang for us in the church and was accompanied by the Dublin String Quartet. I think all of this added to the relaxed atmosphere of the day.
Real Irish Wedding – Marie Murphy & Morgan Crone
Real Irish Weddings
This couple pulled off a Barn Dance themed wedding in a custom built barn!
4th June 2016. Ceremony at St. Colman’s Church, Armagh, followed by a home reception at Copper Beech Farm, Moira
This couple pulled off a Barn Dance themed wedding in their own custom built barn!
Photographry by Ciaran O’Neill
The couple
Marie and Morgan ‘instantly clicked’ after meeting by chance on a night out in Belfast six years ago, and went on their first date to the cinema shortly afterwards.
The proposal
The couple dated for a year before Morgan popped the question during a holiday in Lake Garda. He arranged for Marie to be serenaded by a violinist and got down on one knee in the Town Square. Marie said, ‘Yes!’ and the rest is history.
Venue
The couple went all out for their wedding reception venue and built a barn especially for their special day. “The reception was in a purpose build barn at our home; we wanted a small ceremony and a huge informal party afterwards,” Marie explains.
Theme
The theme was of course ‘barn dance’. “We had a hog roast for the meal, buffet style with extras,” Marie recalls. “It was decorated with bales of hay made into seating areas, chairs with hessian tie backs,and lanterns hanging from the ceiling. We made a stage for the group out of potato crates. We had a candy cart with old fashioned sweet shop jars with personalised sweetie bags, kilner jars filled with cocktails and jam jar glasses with lids and straws. I made homemade jam as wedding favours. In keeping with the theme we had a blue grass band called The Broken String.”
Wedding dress
Marie looked stunning in a gown from Perfect Day, Lurgan. “It was a Vintage Belle ballet length dress – it was simple, modest and elegant and I felt it was perfect for me,” Marie enthusues.
Groomswear
Morgan wore a tweed suit that was custom made in Yorkshire. “He wore a beautiful fob pocket watch and chain and looked every bit the gentry of his land,” Marie says.
The bridesmaids
Marie’s daughter Abigail and her niece Niamh wore ballet length lavender dresses from Perfect Day.
Wedding flowers
House of Elliott, Lisburn created the flowers which were in keeping with the barn dance country theme with bouquets of daisies, lavender, loads of wild flowers, tied with hessian cloth. Other floral décor included flowers in jam jars tied to the pew ends, mini milk churns along the aisle and huge milk churns on the altar, all overflowing with flowers.
Stationery
Pink Elephant Cards, Lisburn made the stationery. “This is a charity where children with learning disabilities work,” Marie explains. “They were simple with a picture of our house and the wedding venue on the front and a simple grey ribbon, they were unique to us.”
Wedding cake
The couple’s neighbour made the wedding cake a gift for the couple. “We had a naked cake, no icing, three layers, decorated with wild berries and flowers and mounted on a pedestal made from the bark of a tree,” Marie explains.
Top Tip
Maire: “I am a very organised person like to plan well in in advance in everything I do. No last minute rushes for me!”
Real Irish Wedding – Helen Keane & Paul Carlin
Real Irish Weddings
After an 11 year engagement this couple’s dream day was worth the wait
20th May 2016. Reception and ceremony at Orange Tree House
Photographer by Lawrence King from Snappitt Wedding Photography
After an 11 year engagement this couple’s dream day was worth the wait
The couple
Over 13 years ago Helen’s hairdresser John invited her to hair show at the Europa, followed by a night out in Milk nightclub. John’s friend Paul was out that night, he and Helen began dating shortly afterwards and the rest is history!
The proposal
Paul popped the question on Christmas Eve when the pair had just moved into their new home. “It was a complete surprise and it only took us 11 years to get around to getting married!” Helen says.
Venue
“I came across Orange Tree House on Facebook and just knew straight away it was where we wanted to get married,” Helen recalls, “we viewed it last year and booked it that very same day for May 2016. Simon and Jan were amazing and Orange Tree House gave us the best day we ever could have imagined!”
Theme
“I wanted laid back and personal; we did a lot of things ourselves where possible,” Helen says.
Wedding dress
The bride looked radiant in wedding dress by Anna Maeir with accessories and veil from Dirty Fabulous, Dublin. “I used a company called Síoda who specialise in making handmade bespoke wedding shapewear for under your dress,” Helen says. “Mary Murphy from Sioda produced a body suit that was vital for giving me support and confidence on my big day. My hair was coloured and designed by the team at Carlin Hair, North Belfast and put up on the day by Matthew McIlveen assisted by Dina Holmes. Cara Auld did my makeup.”
Groomswear
The groom wore a navy blue three-piece suit with antique white paisley tie from Red grooms wear, Belfast
The bridesmaids
On the lookout for bridesmaids’ dresses that her maids could wear again, Helen sourced champagne gowns from Biba.
Wedding flowers
Jill Edwards, Belfast created the wedding flower displays. “I love the country garden bouquets and altar arrangements which had guilder roses, rosemary, fennel, thlaspi green bell, eryngium, peony roses, eucalyptus and lilly grass,” Helen explains.
Wedding cake
“We did four different cakes, my mum made Homemade traditional wedding cake, a coffee cake, and we bought our favourite cakes from Yellow Door; a Lemon and thyme cake, and Victoria sponge … yum,” Helen says.
Favourite moment
Helen: “I really enjoyed the lovely morning in my Mother’s house, we had a special breakfast and some bubbles, the lovely company of my bridesmaids and of course my Mum and Dad.”
Paul: “I loved every minute of my day but if I had to pick one thing I would say it was having the choir I helped start, Cavehill Community Choir, sing for us.”
Real Irish Wedding – Seaínín Hagans & John Watters
Real Irish Weddings
Fans of the “weird and magical” this couple opted for an enchanted woodland theme
30 August 2015. Ceremony and reception at the Galgorm Resort & Spa
Photography by 4-ever photos
Fans of anything ‘weird and magical’ this couple opted for an enchanted woodland themed day
The couple
This couple first met in Belfast as work colleagues. “We didn’t hit it off straight away as we were both busy learning our new roles,” Seaínín begins, “but a few months’ later things had settled down and we got chatting and became friends. One night we bumped in to each other Katy Daly’s bar and had such a laugh and our first kiss, ever since then we just didn’t want to be apart.”
The proposal
John popped the question on October 15th 2012. “One night while our two beautiful girls were asleep in bed, John was acting so shifty and I was so tired from having a baby and a toddler to look after, that I thought he was going to break up with me!” Seaínín recalls. “Thankfully it was just nerves and when he slid off the sofa and got down on one knee I was so relieved. I was glad we didn’t have an audience and were at home too just the two of us it felt really right.”
Venue
Before the couple were engaged, during a visit to the Galgorm Resort and Spa the couple ‘fell in love’ with the place. “After breakfast we went for a walk to look around the grounds and found the Phantom House,” Seaínín says. “ The second I walked in I imagined myself getting married there, something I had never really thought about before and I said to John ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing to get married here!’ never ever thinking that we ever would. We love woodlands and nature and are apparently two hippies but I also like my mod cons so I suppose that was why the Galgorm felt right.”
Theme
The couple both love anything ‘weird and magical’. “I am a big fan of elves, fairies, fun and folklore, while John is a big Lord of the Rings fan and is at home surrounded by trees, so the theme became enchanted woodland became as we just went with things that we loved,” Seaínín says. “We very much wanted our two little girls to have a magical day also so we bought bubble machines and spent many hours with them and our bridesmaids making paper flowers and button bouquets”
Wedding planner
“The wedding team at the Galgorm were great and made it very easy for us to do everything our way,” Seaínín enthuses. “We chose the style ourselves and with many a night spent on Pinterest it wasn’t long before we knew what the day would look like. As we had three years to plan it we were under no pressure. John made the wooden enchanted forest centrepieces, tea light holders and the ring box. The girls, my bridesmaids and I made the paper flowers and the button bouquets. I made the place settings and the lavender confetti cones. It was lovely to see all our own handmade bits and pieces on the day it really made it our own.”
Wedding dress
The bride looked stunning in a So Sassy wedding dress from Ivory and Pearl, Comber. “I was clueless going in to my first wedding dress shop being asked about shapes and material and necklines, it was very overwhelming,” Seaínín recalls. “When I walked in to Ivory and Pearl in Comber I was greeted by the lovely Kate to whom when she asked what kind of dress I was after I said, ‘Have you ever seen Tinkerbell the Pirate Fairy? Kind of like hers… like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards but… elegantly?’ She must have thought I was crazy! I knew what I wanted in my head and as soon as I tried it on I bought it straight away. I did indeed just feel like an elven fairy princess floating around the grounds of the Galgorm!”
Groomswear
The groom wore a green checked tweed jacket from Gowdy’s, Belfast with a matching waistcoat from Bogarts, Belfast over a lavender shirt and burgundy tie and dark grey trousers. “With his magnificent beard and old soul it really suited him and not many could have pulled it off but he did,” Seainin says. “The groomsmen wore the same waistcoats over cream shirts and dark blue jeans. A country gent with his farm boys is what they reminded me of, they looked the picture.”
The bridesmaids
The bridesmaids’ dresses were sourced online from Light in the Box and were described by the bride as, ‘my setting summer sky’ and featured the colours of a sunset in summer; peach, pink, lavender and blue.
Wedding flowers
Sally’s Floral Studio, Ballymena created the wedding flowers incorporating vibrant colours, buttons and ribbons.
Stationery
The stationary was designed by Katie at The Lighthouse Drawing Rooms, Belfast.
Wedding cake
The ‘lovely and talented’ Kerry at Kerry’s Parlour Cakes, Bangor made the five-layer wedding cake with flavours; chocolate fudge, carrot and orange, Victoria sponge, and vanilla and rose. “It was covered by hundreds of sugar flowers and buttons in pastel colours; it really was amazing,” Seaínín says. “Kerry is so down to earth and easy to talk to it was great to have her involved.”
Top Tip
John: “Wear what you feel comfortable in; splash out if you have to. Being comfy the whole day made me feel more relaxed. I was glad I didn’t go for ‘the norm’ wedding suit and went with my own style. Remember to take a few ‘time outs’ during the day to absorb what has happened.”
Seaínín: “Choose what you like and what means something to you both. Don’t worry what other people will think if your choices are a little alternative or quirky because on the day when you look around and see all those little items that mean something to you both it makes it so much more special. One big important detail on the day was how amazing Annette was, I can’t imagine how it would have went without her. She was like a life coach, voice of calm, wedding organiser and trusted friend all in one.”
Real Irish Wedding – Stephanie Traynor & Brian Conroy
Real Irish Weddings
This Irish couple met in Brazil and got engaged over a card trick…
19 February 2016. Ceremony at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Meath followed by reception at Ballymagarvey Village, Meath
Photography by Tanya Cullen from Bronte Photography
This Irish couple met in Brazil and got engaged over a card trick…
The couple
A mutual love of travelling led to this Westmeath bride and Kildare groom meeting half way across the world. “We met in the Wave Hostel, Ipanema Beach, Rio Janeiro, Brazil, while each of us were travelling for a gap year,” Stephanie says. “We continued to meet up over the year on every different continent that we were visiting.”
The proposal
Brian arranged for a friend to pretend he was a street entertainer and told Stephanie there was a mini street festival on. “We were out for dinner for Brian’s 30th Birthday,” Stephanie begins, “we left the restaurant and came across a street entertainer. He said, “Pick a card… any card.” As a private joke we always had the four of diamonds as our default card. I said, ‘the four of diamonds’ and the entertainer shouted, ‘You win!’ and produced the four of diamonds. He then held up four green envelopes and suggested that I choose one to see what I had won. I open up the envelope and it said, ‘STEPH WILL YOU MARRY ME? LOVE BRIAN’.
“Brian was down on one knee with a jewellery box opened in his hand. I was in shock looking at the street entertainer trying to figure out who he was. A local jogger happened to be passing and called out ‘Congratulations’. I looked at Brian who said, ‘Well? You’re kind of leaving me hanging’. I said ‘YES!!!’ and then remained speechless for approximately 30 minutes. Then I rang my Dad who already knew because Brian had asked his permission.”
Venue
“I choose the Ballymagarvey Village on the recommendation from my Dad who had heard lovely things about the venue; he went to visit it on our behalf and really liked it.” Stephanie says. “We booked it straight after that and Brian and I went to visit it the a few months later and loved the house, the dining area and the grounds.”
Wedding planner
“As a part of the package the venue allocated a wedding planner – Niamh Cassidy Sales Manager,” Stephanie says. “She was a great help, she kept us on schedule for all that needed to be done and was a great support.”
Wedding dress
Stephanie’s wedding dress was from Mc Elhinneys, Co. Meath. “When I came out of the dressing room with it on both my sisters though it was fabulous and the nicest that had seen,” Stephanie recalls. “I really loved the pearl and diamond belt that was attached to the dress; also I really liked the neckline and the detachable long train at the back. I got it altered by The Bridal Needle Studio, Westmeath and Ingrid did an amazing job.”
Groomswear
Brian and his groomsmen wore navy suits, Brian wore an ivory tie and the groomsmen wore silver from the Formal Suite, Dublin. “The owner Dan was a great help and provided fantastic guidance what the different styles, shirts, ties, shoes etc.” Stephanie enthuses.
The bridesmaids
The bridesmaids wore navy full-length dresses from Debenhams accessorised with white fur shrugs by Paul Costello, Dunnes Stores.
Wedding flowers
“The wedding flowers were a collective sample of peach and white flowers with greenery in a country chic style, with a navy ribbon for the bridal bouquet and white for the bridesmaids,” Stephanie says. “The flowers were arranged by Bronte Bouquets and Tracey Cullen did a fabulous job, she also decorated the church and the tables in Ballymagarvey along with the lapel pins for the men, and made the flower crown for the flower girl.”
Stationery
“I got my invitation and wedding booklets from the Print Factory Birr, Offaly from Naomi Mooney who understood what I wanted straight away and I couldn’t have been happier with them,” Stephanie says.
Wedding cake
“My wedding cake table featured assorted baked goods and table decorations; white wedding balloons, candles, lights and flowers, it was done by Caroline Goulding – The Wedding Cake Boutique, Dublin,” Stephanie says. “I was so happy how this turned out and Caroline was a pleasure to work with.”
Top Tip
Brian: Make sure you get a slice of your wedding cake before it is all gone! Also get a good band to keep the dancing going, MASS a Sligo band played at ours and they were great.
Stephanie: Get a videographer and a really good photographer like mine. The video and pictures make your day last forever.
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